Why Do Dog Feet Smell Like Fritos?

So many pet owners have asked the question “Why do dog feet smell like Fritos?” that it deserves a decent answer. Here's why your puppy's paws smell funny.

So many pet owners have asked the question “Why do dog feet smell like Fritos?” that it deserves a decent answer.

Of course, my immediate response is always, “Um, have you forgotten to take your medication again?” Seriously, who goes around smelling their pup’s feet? I might do some crazy things, but I certainly don’t make it a habit to sniff my dog’s feet! What if this puppy stepped in something nasty outdoors?

Natural Bacteria

This corn chips smell is usually caused by some bacteria that are completely natural yet give off a kind of yeasty odor, particularly the bacteria Proteus or Pseudomonas. Many pet owners say they actually ENJOY this smell, so you can relax.

Let’s Talk About: Sweat

Dogs sweat through their foot pads. Just as the people’s feet sweat — and more often than not have an odor — so do canine paws. The sweat becomes trapped in the coat between the foot pads and can become, shall we say, malodorous.

Trimming the fur between the foot pads is important for keeping the stench down. Without trimming, the sweat goes into the fur and permeates there. Spread the pads apart.

This is best done by putting your thumb between them. Using pet hair clippers, carefully trim the fur from around the pads. This will eliminate the buildup of all sweat and stink coming from the pads.

After trimming, your pet must be bathed thoroughly. Use pet shampoo on each foot, lathering it up and then rinsing it completely. All four paws must be shampooed well to remove sweat and debris. This should get rid of the dog paw odor.

Corn in Dog Food? Really?

Some pet owners swear that the dog Fritos odor comes from (wait for it)… cheap dog food. They say that if the main ingredient in your dog’s brand is corn, you should switch brands to possibly decrease your pet’s foot odor.

Will this work? Not really. But a higher-quality diet should come with the added benefit of improving your dog’s overall health, so what’s the harm in upgrading foods? (Read Pets Adviser’s list of the top 10 dog foods, which includes ingredients to watch out for.)

Canine foot odor is a very common problem. As with humans, regular and proper hygiene will certainly help keep the stink down. Since no one has invented Odor Eaters for pets yet (perhaps this is another project for Allen Simon), the ball is in your court.

You will need to scrub and clip around those grubby little paw pads on a regular basis. If you don’t, you will definitely need to deal with the dog odor!

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